The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-30

was never worth that, and never will be with all his parsimony."
 "But the discovery of treasure-the bullion-the priceless gems," gasped the yiscount.
 "A mere canard, believe me. A chest was certainly discovered, but it contained little of value-not more than few thousand pounds, and the maharaja has been making ducks and drakes of that in Paris. No, his high ness is like your lordship, the reverse of a rich man. Bhooliniggur is a wretched, poverty stricken state, and Dheep Koon inherited little from his predecessor but debts."
 To pursue the subject further after this was mere waste of breath. The crest fallen viscount accordingly put the best face he could upon the rev. elation, and got rid of his visitor as soon as possible. That same night he sent in an official notification that urgent private business required his presence in Scotland, and compelled him to resign his post in attend ance on the Maharajah Dheep Koon. On the following morning Lord Morg- wich was appointed to fill the va- cancy, and had only just time to hurry of and meet the Indian prince on his arrival at Victoria Station.
 The jubilee was over, and the illus trious foreign visitors were taking their departure. Among the first to go was the Maharajah Dheep Koon, who only waited for the Guildhall banquet, and, as soon as he had recov- cred from the effects of the civic feast, hastened back for final week ill Paris. Curiosity ran very high among the lords ill waiting to know how Lord Morgwich had tared at the hands of the departing potentate. It was not long before the facts were ascertained, and they excited no little envy in nu- merous aristocratic breasts. The ma harajah, it appeared, had done the thing ill most princely style. To Lord Morgwich he had presented richly jeweled snuff box, the value of which was variously computed at from 800 to 700 guineas. Lady Morgwich had received splendid pearl necklace, cer- tainly not less valuable; while it was rumored that the presents to the lucky peers household had been on similar scale.
 Words fail to express the amaze ment and rage with which Lord Kew ton received this intelligence. At first he was incredulous; but, having made it his business to inquire, he soon received authentic confirmation of the story. Suspecting that he had been duped, he hurried round without loss of time to the Westminster Palace hotel. The maharajah had departed ill private as he had arrived, leaving his minister to pay certain propor- tion of the bills and see to the pack ing. On inquiry, therefore, for the latter functionary, Lord Newton was at once shown up to his apartments. His suspicious were increased tenfold at the sight of Yuseef, who was not only arrayed ill English dress, but had faded ill complexion several degrees since the viscount last saw him. He was not actually white, but near enough to it to pass anywhere for pure bred Anglo Saxon.
 Perhaps you will guess the object of my visit," said Lord Newton bluntly. II am come to see if you can offer any explanation of the ex- traordinary discrepancy between your statements to me and the presents dis tributed by the maharajah.'
 "Ah! he was good deal more lib- eral than I expected" said Yuseef Sedlee Singh, putting cigarette with the utmost coolness. "I trust your lordship was not influenced by my misapprehension of his highness' in tentions."
 "Misapprehension? l tell you plainly" said the noble lord, losing all control over himself, "I tell you plainly, sir, that I believe your state ments were fabricated for the express purpose of misleading me-"
 Pray, do not think that" replied the imperturbable oriental. sEvery- thing that said was honest fact. I saw the presents described. How was to know his highness' intentions respecting them? You see, I had only been in his service week."
 "Only week. What the devil do you mean?"
 "Simply this. Happening to be in Paris, and seeing that Dheep Koon was there, called upon him to renew an acquaintance that originated in India. He was delighted to see me, more especially as he was in great dis tress about his prime ministers ras- cal named Boozee Loll, who had got into serious trouble in the French cap ital, and whom he had had to send back to his native scenes. The loss was unfortunate, as Loll was the only member of the maharajah's retinue who thoroughly understood European customs and the English language. l l. u a